NORTH CHARLESTON, S.C. – For many, many years, Inman and Spartanburg have had many classic battles on the baseball diamond.
Saturday’s game at the Dixie Majors State Tournament can be added to that very list. It was a pitcher’s duel from the very beginning and lived up to the billing with a spot in the championship game on Sunday at stake. In the end, Spartanburg scratched across a run to squeak past Inman 1-0 in nine innings. After a single to start the fifth inning, an attempted bunt and run by Inman went awry, leading to a rundown and the runner being tagged out. Later in the same frame, Triton McSwain singled to left. The courtesy runner on second, Nelson Crooke, was waved home, but a throw from the left fielder narrowly beat Crooke to the plate on a very close play for the third out, keeping the game scoreless. Both starters put on terrific performances, as Inman right-hander Clay Cox tossed six and one-third shutout innings, while Spartanburg’s Ray Foltz tossed six scoreless innings of his own. In the bottom of the ninth, Spartanburg brought home the winning run on a bases-loaded walk to Landon Jennings with two outs, sending them to the championship game on Sunday. Inman will face North Charleston in an elimination game at 10 AM Sunday. The winner will make a quick turnaround and take on Spartanburg at approximately 12:30 PM. -Justin Mathis Comments are closed.
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